Steam-engine



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

S. L. GUESS.

STEAM ENGINE. No. 313,862. Pgten ed Mar. 17,1885.

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STEAM ENGINE.

No. 313,862. Patented Mar. 1'7, 1885.

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SANFORD L. GUESS, OF HAZLEHURST, MISSISSIPPI.

STEAM-ENGINE.

JPECIFICATEON forming part of Letters Patent No. 313,862, dated March 17,1885.

Application filed May .28, 1884.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SANFORD L. GUEss, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hazlehurst, in the county of Oopiah and State of Mississippi, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam Engines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to certain improvements in steam-engines of that class known as three-piston engines, and it consists in the novel arrangement and construction of parts wherebyis produced an engine that will have a greater power and a higher rate of speed than one of ordinary construction, other things being equal. The arrangement also prevents the disposition of the engine to rock, and obviates in a measure steam condensation in the cylinder.

To fully and properly describe the device, reference will be made to the annexed draw- 1ngs.

Figure 1 represents a plan view of a cylinder and crank shaft in their proper bed, and the various connections, the cylinder being in section; and Fig. 2 a side elevation of the same, partly broken away.

A represents the bed on which the working parts rest. It is of ordinary construction and adapted to receive the various parts.

Near one end of the bed and properly secured thereto is a cylinder, B. In the said cylinder operate three piston heads, each passing through one-third the distance tras- Versed by an ordinary single piston. The outer ones, 0 and D, respectively travel from the ends of the cylinder inward, while the third one, E, travels through the central part of the cylinder, nearly touching, alternately, the pistonheads G and D at their extreme inward stroke.

On top the bed on each side the cylinder is secured a strip, F, resting at the ends on blocks, thus leaving a space between it and the top of the bed, forming thereby a guide and bearing for the sliding frame, which is a little more than one-third longer than the cylinder. This frame consists of two side pieces, G, resting against the strips F and supported by projections H at each end, traveling between the said strips F and the top of the (No model.)

bed. This arrangement, as will be readily seen, allows the frame to have a supported longitudinal movement, but no side motion at all.

The rear end of the frame is formed by con necting the two side pieces by a rod, I, having its center enlarged, through which enlargement is a passage through which extends the piston-rod K of the piston-head D. This rod is provided with a shoulder, L, which abuts against the rod I, and has its outer end screw-threaded for the reception of a securing-nut, as shown.

The piston-head O is connected by a hollow piston-rod, M, to a cross-head, N, containing a stuffingbox. The cross-head is connected to the ends of the side pieces of the frame by means of rods 0, to each of which are con nected one end of the pitman-rods P.

In front of the cylinder, at a distance from it sufficient to escape the forward travel of the frame, is secured to the bed a guidingframe, It, having adapted to slide longitudinally in it a cross-head, S, which is recessed atone end for the reception of the pitmanrod T. This head is connected to the central piston-head by a rod, U, passing through the hollow piston-rod M.

At the end of the bed opposite to that oocupied by the cylinder is the shaft V, having proper hearings on the bed, and between the sides of the same,provided with a triple crank, W. The pitman-rods connecting with the frame are connected to the outer cranks, and the pitman connected with the independent cross-head is connected to the center crank, which projects in a direction opposite to that of the other two.

A suitable slide case and valve may be used to admit steam alternately between the pistonheads, forcing them apart, the exhaust tak- "ing place between those to which steam is not admitted.

When in operation,the steam forces the two piston heads apart, as stated, causing the frame to move in one direction while the central piston and its connections move in the other, thus giving at the same time a pulling and a pushing impulse to the crank, preventing thereby any rock or shake in the machine. The pistons moving in opposite directions obviate the resistance resulting from a fixed piston-head. The stroke being much shorter, the steam is economized, and the said stroke being quicker than in an ordinary engine the condensation that usually takes place in the cylinder is to a great extent prevented, as the said cylinder has less chance to cool when the engine is in operation.

The cylinder shown and above described is or one Without cylinder-heads, and,when heads are used, the steam may also be admitted at the ends, of the cylinders, giving an additional impulse to the pistons, which would be advantageous in heavy work. heads, the steam is admitted and exhausted at four different points in the cylinder. The use of the frame possesses the advantage of not necessitating the connection of the two end piston-heads within the cylinder.

Having described the invention, what I claim is r 1. In a three-piston engine, a frame surrounding the cylinder and sliding in bearings on the bed, its rear end being connected to one of the pistons, the other end containing a packing-box which is connected to one of the pistons by a hollow'piston-rod, the third piston operating, a rod passing through the hollow piston-rod, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

With cylinder- 2. The combination of the frame surrounding the cylinder and havingsliding bearings,

and the guide placed in front of the said frame, with a cylinder having three pistons, the outer ones being connected, respectively, to the ends of the frame, and the central one having a piston-rod connecting with a crosshead sliding in the guide-frame, the parts operating substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. The combination, with the cylinder containing three pistons, of the sliding frame surrounding it and connected with the outer pistons, and carrying at one end two pitmen, the guide-frame in front the cylinder carrying a cross-head, which is connected at one end with the central piston and at the other with a pitman, and the shaft having a triple crank to which the three pitmen are connected, the parts connected to operate substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimonywhereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SANFORD L. GUEss.

Witnesses:

THOMAS J. HARGRAVE, RoBr. E. A. STUART. 

